Sam Jackson

A charity abseil to raise money in the memory of a Kenilworth teenager who died last year from cancer is less than a month away.

Milan Patel, a Kenilworth School pupil and Kenilworth Wardens Football Club junior player, died of a rare form of bone cancer in March 2015 at the age of 14.

And there is still time for people to sign up to take part in the abseil from the top of Kenilworth’s Holiday Inn on Saturday April 9 from 8.30am, raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust in the process.

Town councillor and Kenilworth School governor Richard Hales is one of those taking part, despite never having abseiled in his life.

He said: “I don’t have a great head for heights, and I’m doing it as a complete beginner, but it’s a great cause to support.

“Fundraising is going really well, and it’s great to see the whole town get behind this.”

Paul Calver, Milan’s former football coach at KWFC, organised the abseil because he wanted to raise money by doing something different.

He added: “I had a bit of a brainwave six months ago to do an abseil, because it’s never been done in the town before.

“We’re hoping lots of people turn up to support the abseilers on the day.”

Kenilworth Wardens FC also held a balloon release on Wednesday March 8, which would have been Milan’s 16th birthday.

The group outside the Holiday Inn, where Richard Hales and the other abseilers will descend from.

Emily Cooper, regional fundraiser at Teenage Cancer Trust for West Midlands, said: “We are really grateful to everyone taking part in the abseil in memory of Milan and for choosing to raise vital funds for Teenage Cancer Trust.

“For every young person we currently reach there’s another we can’t, so this money will help us to support more young people with cancer across the West Midlands.”

Almost 60 people are set to take part in the abseil so far, but a maximum of 80 can take part. It is hoped that as many will abseil as possible to hit the fundraising target of £30,000.